Rotary printing press



H. M. BARBER 1,816,355

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed May 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEYS July 28, 1931.

T MM I f July 28, 1931. H. M. BARBER ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed May 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR mwm ATTORNEYS Patented July 28, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD M. Q] PAWCA'IUCK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO 0. B. COTTRELL & SONS COMPANY, 01' WESTEBLY, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Application filed Iay 5, 1980. Serial No. 449,833.

This'invention comprises a rotary printing press in which two printing units are arranged at right angles to each other; means being provided whereby a separate web may be led throughe each printing unit or a single web may led through both printing units.

This invention further comprises a print ing press of the above character in which the printing units are located in the same horizontal plane so that corresponding inking mechanisms of both printing units will be subjected to the same temperature for ensuring the proper distribution and laying of the inks.

This invention further comprises a printing press of the above character in which the plate cylinders of each printing unit are disposed around their impression cylinder at one side of its horizontal central plane.

This invention further comprises a printing press of the above character in which the plate cylinders of each printing unit are disposed around the upper side of their im- 26 pression cylinder so that the webs or web to be printed may be located under the inking mechanisms for said plate cylinders thereby causing all web paper dust to drop from rather than into the inking mechanisms. This arrangement of the plate cylinders also permits a downward pressure at I all times on the impression cylinder shaft bearings.

A practical embodiment of this invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents diagrammatically a top plan view of the printing press with the inking mechanisms removed and showing in full lines a separate web being fed to each of the printing mechanisms, and in dot-anddash lines the web from the first printing mechanism being turned over and fed to the second printing mechanism;

Fig. 2 represents diagrammatically a view of the press with one printing unit shown in side elevation and the other printing unit in end elevation;

, Fig. 3 represents diagrammatically a detail view showing in side elevation the cylinder.

printing unit which was shown in end eleeither one or both of the printing units.

In one multicolor printing unit of the press the impression cylinder is denoted b 1 and its plate cylinders-by 2, 3, 4, 5, whic plate cylinders are shown .as arranged around the upper side of the impression These plate cylinders are provided with inking mechanisms 6', 7, 8, 9 of any well known or approved form.

In the other multicolor printing unit of the press the impression c linder is denoted by 10 and its plate cylin ers by 11, 12, 13, 14, which plate cylinders are arranged around the upper side of the impresslon cylinder. These plate cylinders are provided with inking mechanisms 15, 16, 17, 18 of any well known or approved form.

The two printing units are arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane so that the corresponding inking mechanisms of the two printing units will be subjected to the same temperature for facilitating the distribution and laying of the inks.

The two printing units are arranged at substantially right angles to each other and a web turning device 19 is placed between the two printing units so that when a single web is led through both printing units the web turning device will change the direction of travel of the web after it has left the first printing unit and will reverse the web so that it may be printed in multicolor on bothsides thereof.

The web 20 to be printed in multicolor on one side thereof is shown as passing from its supply roll 21 over a roll 22 and under a roll 23 to and around the upper side of the impression cylinder 1 under the plate cylinders 2, 3, 4, 5. From thence the web 20 printed in multicolor on one side thereof is led under a roll 24 and through a cutting mechanism, such, for instance, as a pair of coacting rotary cutters 25, 26, to the pile 27.

The web 28 to be printed in multicolor on one side thereof is shown as passing from its supply roll 29 over a roll 30 and under a roll 31 to and around the upper side of the impression cylinder 10 under the plate cylinders 2, 3, 4, 5. From thence the web rinted in multicolor on one side thereof 1s led under a roll 32 and through a cutting mechanism, such, for instance, as a pair of coactin rotary cutters 33, 34, to the pile 35.

here a single web is to be printed in multicolor onboth sides it is led around the roll 36 of the first printing mechanism and from thence to and around the web turning device 19 and from thence to and around the roll 31 of the second printing mechanism, as indicated in dot-and-dash lines in the accompanying drawings. From this point the web printed in multicolor on one side is passed through the second printing unit to e printed in multicolor on the other side and then led through and around the roll 32 and through the cutting mechanism 33, 34, to the pile 35.

The two printing units of the press may be driven separately or together as desired, by a common source of power which is herein represented as an electric motor 37 The shaft of this electric motor is provided with a pulley 38 which drives through a belt 39 a pulle 40 loosely mounted on a divided cross s aft 41, 42. A clutch member 43 slidably keyed to the shaft member 41 may be brought into and out of engagement with the pulley 40 by means of a clutch lever 44. A clutch member 45 slidably keyed to the shaft member 42 is also arranged to be brought into and out of engagement with the belt pulley 40 by means of the clutch lever 46.

The shaft member 41 is connected through a train of gears 47, 48, 49, 50 with the imression cylinder 1 of one printing unit. he shaft member 42 is connected'through the bevel gears 51, 52, shaft 53 and train of gears 54, 55, 56, 57 with the impression cylinder 10 of the other printing unit. 1

It will thus be seen that when the clutch member 43 is moved into engagement with the belt pulley 40 and the clutch member 45 is moved out of engagement therewith the first printing unit only will be driven from the motor 37. Also, when the clutch mem- Ber 45 is moved into engagement with the pulley 40 and the clutch member 43is moved out of engagement with the said pulley the second printing unit only will be driven from the electric motor. When both clutch members 43 and 45 are moved into engagement with the belt pulley 40 both printing units will be driven by the motor 37 From the above description it will be seen that any one of the following conditions may be obtained by the proper manipulation of the clutch levers 44 and 46:a single web may be printed by either one of the printing units; separate webs may be printed by both 'printin unitsi or a single web may be printed by oth printing umts pril,

departing from the spirit and scope of my 1 invention, and hence I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but

What I claim is 2- 1. In a rotary printing press, two printing units arranged at right angles to each other, and means for leading a separate web through each printing unit or a single web through both printing units.

2. In a rotary printing press, two printing units arranged at right angles to each other in the same horizontal plane, and means for leading a separate Web through each printing unit or a single web through both rinting units.

3. n a rotary printing press, two multicolor printing units arranged at right angles to each other, and means for leading a separate Web through each printing unit or a single web through both printing units.

4. In a rotary printing press, two multicolor printing units arranged at right angles to each other in the same horizontal plane, and means for leading a separate web through each printing unit or a single web through both printing units.

5. In a rotary printing press, two .multicolor printing units arranged at right angles to each other, each unit including an impression cylinder and a plurality of plate cylinders arranged around the impression cylinder at one side of its horizontal central plane, and means for leading a separate web through each printing unit-or a single web through both printing units.

6. In a rotary printing press, two multicolor printing units arranged at right angles to each other in the same horizontal lane each rintin unit com risin an iming unit or a single webthrough both printing units.

8. In a rotary printing press, two multicolor printing units'arranged at right angles to each other in the same horizontal plane, each .unit including an impression cylinder and a plurality of plate cylinders through both printing units, and a common means operable to drive either or both printing units at pleasure.

10. In a rotary printing press, two printing units arranged at right angles to each other in the same horizontal plane, means for leading a separate web through each printing unit or a single web through both printing units, and a common means operable to drive either or both printing units at pleasure.

11. In a rotary printing press, two multicolor printing units arranged at right angles to each other, means for leading a separate web through each printing unit or a single web through both printing units, and a common means operable to drive'either or both printing units at pleasure.

12. In a rotary printing press, two multicolor printing units arranged at rightangles to each other in the same horizontalv .plane, means for leading a separate web through each printing unit or a single web through both rinting units, and a common means operable to drive'either or both printing units at pleasure. v I 13. In a rotary printing press,'two multicolor printing units arranged at right angles to each other, each unit including an impression cylinder and a plurality of plate cylinders'arranged around the upper side of their impression cylinder, means for leading a separate web through each printing unit or a single web through both printing units, and anommon means operable to drive either or both printing units at pleasure.

14. In a rotary printing press, two multicolor rinting units arranged at right angles to eac other in the same horizontal plane, each unit including an impression cylinder and a plurality of plate cylinders arranged around the upper side of their impression cylinder, means for leading a separate web through each printing unit or 'a single web through both printing units, and, a common means operable to drive either or both print ing units at pleasure.

15. In a rotary rinting press, two printin units arrange at right angles to each ot er, and means for leadmg a separate web through each printing unit or a single web through both printing units, said means including a web turning device operable when the single web is led through both printing units.

16. In a rotary printing press, two printing 'units arranged at right angles to each other in the same horizontal plane, and means for leading a separate web through each printing unit or a single web through both printing units, said means including a web turning device operable when the single web is led through both printing units.

a 17. In a rotary printing press, two multicolor printing units arran ed at right angles -to each other, and means or leading a separate web through each printing unit or a single web through both printing units, said means including a web turning device operable when the single web is led through both printing units.

18. In a rotary printing press, two multicolor printing units arranged at right angles to-each other in thesame horizontal plane, and means for leading a separate web through each printing unit or a single web through both printing units, said means including a' web turning device operable when the single web is led through both printing units.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name this 2d day of May, 1930.

HOWARD M. BARBER. 

